William C. Groeniger III

Major General William C. Groeniger III, a distributor of manufactured products for public utilities, fire protection, irrigation and industrial uses with offices in California and Hawaii, was selected for his present grade in March 1983. He was advanced to major general on May 3, 1983.

General Groeniger was born on November 24, 1929, in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley in 1952, and holds a B.A. degree in the general curriculum of History, Political Science and Economics.

He enlisted in the California Air National Guard in 1951, and transferred to the Marine Corps Reserve as an officer candidate upon graduation from college. After completing the Fifth Officer Candidate Course, he was commissioned a Marine second lieutenant on Sept. 20, 1952, and graduated from the 17th special Basic School class in February 1953.

From March 1953 to March 1954, General Groeniger underwent flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. He was designated a Naval Aviator and helicopter pilot and transferred to the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, El Toro, California for duty with HMR-363.

In June 1954, he was transferred to the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Korea for duty with VMO-6, as Historical Officer and Assistant Operations Officer. During this period, he attended Escape and Evasion, and Atomic-Bacteriological-Chemical Warfare Schools. During February 1955, he reported to Marine Aircraft Group-16 in Oppama, Japan, where he served as Assistant Group Operations Officer before being assigned to HMR-163, as Assistant Training Officer.

He was rotated back to the United States in July 1955 and assigned to HMR-362 of the 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, as Flight Officer until his release from active duty in April 1956.

Since his release from active duty, he has served in a variety of billets with HMM-764, of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, including that of Commanding Officer from 1967 to 197O. Subsequently, he was assigned to Marine Aircraft Group-46 as Logistics Officer and later Operations Officer. In 1971, he was transferred to the 29th Staff Group (Aviation), as the Operations Officer.

Returning to Marine Aircraft Group-46, Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, Calif., in 1972, he was again assigned duties as Group Operations Officer. In 1975, he reported to Volunteer Training Unit (Aviation)-10, assuming command of the Unit in November 1976. While in this assignment, he was selected for promotion to brigadier general in March 1978, and promoted to that grade on July 1, 1978. He was next assigned as Special Assistant to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reserve Affairs (MCRFAC). On March 15, 1979, he assumed duty as the Assistant Division Commander, 4th Marine Division, New Orleans, La., and commanded the 2d Marine Amphibious Brigade during Combined Arms Exercise 8-80, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Duty as the Assistant Wing Commander of the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing followed on Sept. 1, 1980. He represented the New Orleans-based command in the Western United States, headquartering at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. On April 15, 1981, he assumed duty as (Mobilization Designee) Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center/Commanding General, 7th Marine Amphibious Brigade, Twentynine Palms, Calif. While serving in this capacity, he was selected for promotion to major general in March 1983. He was advanced to major general on May 3, 1983 and his designated mobilization assignment became Commanding General, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California (effective May 27, 1983). General Groeniger assumed his current mobilization assignment as the Deputy Chief of Staff for Reserve Affairs, Headquarters Marine Corps on June 1, 1986.

He was promoted to permanent ranks as follows: first lieutenant, August 12, 1954; captain, May 9, 1956; major, July 1, 1963; lieutenant colonel, October 10, 1967; colonel, July 1, 1974; and brigadier general, July 1, 1978.

Major General Groeniger and his wife, the late Nancy A. Burton of San Francisco, California, have five children, William, Scott, Kurt, Kristen and Brett. They reside in Rancho Santa Fe, California.